


Substitute

by orphan_account



Category: Orphan Black (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-07-15
Updated: 2013-07-14
Packaged: 2017-12-20 05:46:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,478
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/883631
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cophine (Cosima/Delphine) AU where first-grade teacher, Cosima Niehaus (who is also sercretly a clone), tries to reach a box of crayons on top of a tall cabinet and injures herself. She visits the school nurse expecting the one that had been working at the school since she arrived but is greeted by a young, more attractive woman, named Delphine. Cosima learns that Delphine is the substitute nurse.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Substitute

**Author's Note:**

> This is only slightly AU because Cosima is still a clone and is in contact with the others, but Delphine is not her monitor and they meet on waaay different terms.

"When this happens, the plant is able to produce food for itself so it is able to survive-"

The bell signaling the end of the school day cuts the first grade teacher, Miss Niehaus, off and she smiles at her class and gives them permission to pack up. "Very good, class! Tomorrow we'll wrap this up and start on the projects."

As the all the kids rush through the door, Miss Niehaus sits down at her desk and pulls out a paper and pencil. She begins writing down a list of stuff that she needs for the projects. 

"Aunt Cosima?" a small voice interrupts her and she looks up to find her clone's daughter, Kira, standing in front of the desk. She lightly traces the edge of the wood with her index finger and stares shyly up Cosima. 

"What is it, sweetheart?" Cosima asks, putting down her pen and giving the girl her full attention.

"Um, Mom just wanted to know if you would like to come over for dinner tonight," Kira informs, and Cosima smiles at her. She sighs and stands from her chair, walking over to the cabinet and opening the doors.

"I would love to, but I gotta get the supplies for our upcoming project. Tell Sarah that we could do a family dinner on Friday. Sorry Kira, I'm busy all week."

"Oh... Well, that's okay. Mom will probably be okay with that," Kira assures her aunt, walking over and giving her a quick hug, "Bye, Aunt Cosima."

When she is sure the girl was gone, she closes the cabinet and pulls the nearest chair towards herself and sits down. It wasn't that she was busy all week, and she knew Sarah was going to figure that out when Kira told her. Cosima promised her clone that she would break out of her shell and meet new people, visit new places, and overall just _live_. 

"LIVE A LITTLE!" Sarah had shouted at her last weekend before proceeding to down a whole bottle of beer. Cosima thought maybe she shouldn't take advice from a drunken Sarah, but she was probably right anyway.

And even if it was a small step, she decides that trying to reach the box of coloring utensils on top of the tall cabinet that she could never conquer was living a little. But hey, maybe it was too extreme.

Ironically, it did prove to be too extreme, because ten minutes later Cosima finds herself standing on a chair and stretching to her maximum ability in order to reach the box on top of the cabinet. It was so close, yet so far. Like most things in her life.

She laughs bitterly at that thought, because it was true.

"C'mon, almost there...almost..." Cosima grunts as she lifts one leg off the chair in an attempt to get closer to the box. Her fingers brush the cardboard corner and she tries helplessly to grab and pull, but ends up pushing the box farther away.

"Fuck! C'mon! Just come _here_ already! Almost...almost therEEAAAAAAHHH!-"

Cosima tumbles from the chair and falls awkwardly on her face, laying there pathetically and dropping her head to the floor. Only then does she realize that a painful sensation is coming from her arm.

"Ow, fuck!" she hisses as she sits up and tries to move her right arm around. "Damn it!"

The brunette's shoulders slump and she drops her head so that her chin hits her chest. She sighs and pushes up on her left hand. Slowly and unsteadily, she rises from the floor and grabs her bag from underneath her desk.

"Great..." she mumbles as she leaves her classroom and heads towards the nurses office. "Joanne better be here still or I'm screwed."

When she enters the nurse’s office, however, she finds a blonde-haired woman sitting at the desk, typing away on the computer. She turns around when the door creaks ("God damn this old school and the old doors," Cosima mutters under her breath) and stands up to greet the teacher.

"Ah, bonjour, I'm Delphine. I am filling in for Mrs. Stein for the week. Is there anything I can help you with? Is there something wrong with-" the woman gestures to her arm.

"Oh no, I'm fine. If Mrs. Stein's not here... you know I'm fine, I'm okay, I really only trust her with my injuries... it's nothing personal it's just I-"

"Well, let me at least look at it, I could just tell you if anything is seriously wro-"

"No, no , really. I just-"

The woman waves her hand dismissively. "Okay, that's...understandable. Sorry I couldn't help."

Cosima nods, relieved, and turns to leave. Except when she steps outside she really questions her motives. The woman was just trying to help, and Cosima completely shut her out. That was her worst tendency: to shut people out and never give anyone a chance. Was interacting with a new person really so repulsive that even a could-be serious injury couldn't persuade her to engage? 

These thoughts are what drives Cosima back into the office.

"You know what? I could really use a check-up. I think something is seriously wrong with my arm. Sorry, I wasn't thinking straight and I-"

"Non. Sit down and I will take a look," Delphine smiles, patting the check-up table.

Cosima returns the smile and sits down. This felt weird. Interacting with this friendly woman, and Cosima couldn't be sure, but she think she liked it. Delphine brings over a few instruments and sets them down on a table next to her.

"My name is Cosima, by the way."

"So, Cosima, how did this injury occur?" Delphine questions, gingerly picking up Cosima's arm.

"Uhhhhh... I fell."

"Oh, I see. Well, how far was the fall?"

"Off a chair."

"Okay, so I'm guessing you were trying to reach something on top of a tall object?"

Cosima gapes at the other woman. "How'd you know?"

"Cosima, just because I'm a substitute does not mean I am not experienced," Delphine chuckles, pressing her thumb into the already blackened part of the brunette's arm. Cosima flinches a little, but grins anyway and says, "Sorry."

" _Pas de soucis_. Does it hurt when I do this?" Delphine asks as she puts pressure on Cosima's wrist.

"No."

"And what about this?"

"Nope."

"And what about...this?"

"Yes!" 

Delphine walks over to the fridge sitting in the corner and pulls out an icepack. 

"You're forearm is only badly bruised. It is going to hurt for a few days, so the best you can do it put ice on it and take a lot of painkillers."

Cosima nods and opens her mouth to speak but a buzzing sound goes off on the desk. It is Delphine's phone, she realizes, and the substitute goes to pick it up. "Sorry, just give me a minute, I have to take this." She walks into a side room and begins talking in French quickly and quietly.

"...je ne peux pas parler pour le moment... qui n'a pas lieu aujourd'hui...Adieu!"

Cosima was taking a liking to Delphine, and maybe it wasn't such a bad thing. Sarah did tell her to live a little, in a drunken state, of course, but she was correct nevertheless. _Meet new people, visit new places_. That was her plan and she decides she is going to start right now.

Delphine walks back into the room and glances up from her phone at the other woman. 

"Sorry. It is my brother. He always calls at bad times," she explains, setting the phone down on the desk. "So anyway, just apply ice to it for now, and use painkillers. There is no medication for a bad bruise I can supply to you here."

"Maybe a drink will help," Cosima smiles.

"Maybe."

Delphine's lips quirk up into a half-smile and then she turns to place a few of her belongings in her purse on the desk. "I know a excellent bar downtown that's always a good time."

"Oh? I hear you shouldn't travel downtown without someone by your side. It's dangerous at night down there, you know," Cosima quips.

"So I hear."

An uncomfortable silence settles in the office. Cosima can't tell if Delphine is really considering going or if she leads people on without really knowing it. This is becoming embarrassing, and she really just wants the floor to open up and swallow her whole. What if Delphine didn't mean that she wanted to go get a drink? Cosima goes to utter a goodbye so things couldn't get worse but before she gets the chance, Delphine is grabbing her (good) arm and pulling her out of the office.

"C'mon. A few drinks are sure to help that battle wound."

Cosima laughs, running after the French woman, a new sense of freedom and belonging settling in. Suddenly her arm didn't hurt so bad.


End file.
